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Transition temperature of excitation–contraction coupling in frog twitch muscle fibres

Nature volume 280, pages 326–328 (1979)Cite this article

Abstract

THE mechanism by which depolarisation of the muscle fibre membrane leads to release of stored Ca2+ ions from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, although crucial, is perhaps the least understood stage in excitation–contraction coupling1,2. We report here our investigation of the temperature dependence of this mechanism, using intracellular injection of arsenazo III (refs 3,4), a Ca2+ indicator dye with a fast response time5. We have found that the latency between depolarisation of the fibre and the onset of the rise in intracellular free Ca2+ is proportional to the reciprocal temperature, but that on an Arrhenius plot this relationship shows a change in slope at a temperature which depends upon the Ca2+ concentration in the bathing solution.

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Author notes

  1. G. SCHALOW

    Present address: I Physiologisches Institut, der Universität des Saarlandes, 665, Homburg/Saar, FRG

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biophysics Department, University College, Gower Street, London, WC1, UK

    R. MILEDI, I. PARKER & G. SCHALOW

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  1. R. MILEDI
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  2. I. PARKER
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  3. G. SCHALOW
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MILEDI, R., PARKER, I. & SCHALOW, G. Transition temperature of excitation–contraction coupling in frog twitch muscle fibres. Nature 280, 326–328 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1038/280326a0

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